Lanka Prez treads a geopolitical tightrope

China has invested heavily in Sri Lanka, and India has, too, and the competing interests need careful management. A single wrong move may prove costly for the new administration

- DILRUKSHI HANDUNNETTI

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake walked the diplomatic tightrope in December when he made his first international visit as the island nation's new president to New Delhi.

Dissanayake's party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) of old, is known for both anti-India sentiments and strong opposition to the India-brokered 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution that sought to devolve power to the provinces, which the JVP felt was a provision aiding separatism in the Tamil majority areas.

This discomfort apart, the discussions went smoothly, and the political pragmatism of choosing Delhi over Beijing is a message that the JVP/NPP has a softened and practical approach towards India.

India meanwhile is increasingly concerned about China's overtures to neighbouring countries and, as far as Sri Lanka goes, Beijing's economic and military influence. China's "research vessels" are disconcerting to India and there have been a few docking close to Colombo. In December, President Dissanayake assured Indian leaders that he would prevent anyone from using Sri Lankan territory for activities inimical to India's interests.

Relations with China became strained when the island's economy hit rock bottom and loans could not be serviced. It had taken time and effort to reach an agreement with Sri Lanka's largest bilateral lender before chalking a contract with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Sri Lanka owes Beijing a hefty $4.2 billion in debt, restructured in October 2023, marking a key milestone in the nation's path to economic recovery.

The new president must navigate complex geopolitics between Asia's two powers. He is also watched by many. It is not just India and China that keep their gaze fixed on the president but also the US with its strategic interests and historical relationship with Colombo.